


wishbone promise

by soloeyists



Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Gangsters, Bodyguard Park Chanyeol, Human Trafficking, Humans Referred to Dolls, Implied/Referenced Drug Use, Kidnapping, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-09
Updated: 2020-09-09
Packaged: 2021-03-06 17:07:50
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,391
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26372452
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/soloeyists/pseuds/soloeyists
Summary: Being the most trusted bodyguard of the notorious Choi clan in Seoul, Chanyeol is assigned to pick out a new doll at the warehouse on behalf of his boss.What he did not expect is to see Baekhyun, his long-lost childhood friend, among the dolls presented on the conveyor belt.
Relationships: Byun Baekhyun/Park Chanyeol
Comments: 14
Kudos: 54





	wishbone promise

**Author's Note:**

> Cross-posted from one of my AUs on my Twitter account @soloeyists. English isn't my first language and there might be some errors found in this fic, but I hope you would still enjoy it as much as I enjoyed writing it. There might be a continuation of this, but I'm still trying to work on it. Let me know what you think of it <3

“This way, Sir.”

Chanyeol is ushered down the narrow corridor leading to an open space in the grimy warehouse where the pretty dolls are gathered and presented to be inspected and picked out carefully. His boss couldn’t make it tonight, so he is to be trusted to make the choice.

These aren’t actual dolls, but rather a few selections of pretty men and women shipped illegally before the dawn from various countries. It’s one of the occasional underground interests done to keep the businesses between the Choi clan and the black market traders going smoothly.

Usually the trades will be held at any five-star hotels where the clan’s leader will pick his favorites out of the selections. But tonight, it’s done in an abandoned warehouse, hidden on the outskirts of Seoul. Chanyeol scoffs at the pathetic choice of a place to do the business.

“Could’ve picked a decent place,” he sneers as he wipes off the dust collecting on his jacket. He pulls out a handkerchief from his pocket to cover his mouth and nose from breathing in the dusty air. It reeks of old metals here. The guy walking next to him gives a sinister smile.

“We couldn’t do it at the hotel like you suggested. The police almost got us the other day. More eyes will be tailing us if we proceed with your idea. We don’t wanna risk getting caught again,” the trader guy says. “Don’t worry. We’ve still got some good stuff for your boss.

Chanyeol shoots a glare in response when he feels a hand brazenly placed on his back in assurance, causing the trader guy to immediately pull his hand away and cough awkwardly. The silence is heavy, with only the sound of their shoe soles crunching on the gravelly path filling the air.

“How many are there?” Chanyeol inquires, pocketing his handkerchief and lighting up the cigarette as he ducks under the low ceiling before them. He then lets out a relieved sigh upon arriving at the open space in the warehouse.

This is where the whole business will take place.

It’s simple.

The Choi clan gets to choose a doll every time the human trading takes place in return of them providing safe spaces for these black-market traders to continue their jobs.

It’s one of the ways for these guys thanking the Choi clan’s leader for keeping them alive.

Chanyeol is greeted by an empty, unmoving conveyor system stationed in the middle of the warehouse. The surrounding area is quite dark. He has to squint to see clearly; the moonlight is the only source illuminating the warehouse through the windows right above their heads.

“Ten. Males and females. All clothed and cleaned. You only have to choose one of them,” the trader guy replies meekly.

“Where are they?” Chanyeol asks as he takes a seat in one of the chairs, puffing out the cigarette smoke through his nose. “I don’t have much time here.”

Then the trader guy whistles, signalling his partners to bring out all the dolls from the dark, curtained room before them.

The machine roars alive and moves. Chanyeol waits expectantly, and there before him, the pretty dolls placed on the conveyor belt are revealed one by one.

Their wrists are chained to the metal pole above their heads, mouths stuffed with some fabrics to keep them from screaming; all pretty and ready to be chosen. Their faces are hidden behind eccentric masks; it’s the trading rule to keep the identity of the unselected ones hidden.

Chanyeol finds it bullshit.

The whimpered sounds fill the air. Chanyeol senses the fear but he ignores it completely.

Nothing really matters to him. He simply doesn’t care despite knowing how inhumanely these dolls are treated. There’s only one thing in his mind now.

Finish this task as soon as possible.

“Where are they from?” Chanyeol asks.

“Random places,” the trader guy tells him with a dirty smirk plastered on his face. “We also have some locals ready for you if your boss is still into that. Anything for the Choi clan.”

Chanyeol hisses at the remarks.

He then stays silent and gets up from the chair, walking towards the conveyor machine to inspect each one of them. He stops in front of the first doll, a young woman, scanning her from head to toe.

She is wearing a beautiful blue lace dress with an intricate pattern on its fabric. Pretty. These people definitely know how to doll her up. She looks young, probably around 20 judging from the smoothness of her skin when Chanyeol runs his fingers down her arm.

“Where is she from?”

“China.”

“Age?”

The trader guy checks the list in his hand and says, “22. They’re all below 25 years old. We always choose the young ones. Don’t worry, Sir.”

Chanyeol pats the woman’s cheek lightly, causing her to whimper in fear at the sudden contact. He nods his head and moves to the side to inspect the next doll.

His boss did say something about picking a male doll this time around. Maybe he could cross her off from the list.

When Chanyeol’s about to examine the second doll, all of a sudden, his eyes catch sight of the moonlight gleaming off something shiny from the third male doll, right around his neck, causing Chanyeol to halt his movement.

It can’t be.

Chanyeol immediately throws his cigarette on the floor, crushes it with the shoe sole and moves closer to the third doll, who’s wearing a see-through strapless white top, his nipples peeking out.

Strangely enough, the doll doesn’t whimper like everybody else.

Chanyeol’s heart thumps through his chest. The beats start off slowly, until they gradually quicken once his gaze lands on the doll’s bare neck.

No. What is going on?

The world suddenly doesn’t make sense to him.

It’s a gold wishbone pendant adorning the third doll’s neck, painfully similar to the one Chanyeol is wearing at the moment. He immediately reaches for the same shaped pendant hidden underneath his shirt, feeling it burn intensely under his rough finger pads.

His heart breaks.

There are only two of those pendants in this world. He knows it because he personally ordered it from the jewelry store years ago and gifted someone dear to him with that pendant.

Someone he hasn’t seen for a long time.

Why is it here? Why is this stranger wearing that pendant?

Chanyeol gulps down the lump growing in his throat and toddles a few steps closer to see it clearly, hoping that his guts are wrong. That everything is wrong.

He stops once he notices the mole above the doll’s lips, slightly shaking as he points his fingers at the chained doll.

“Take off his mask,” Chanyeol orders the trader guy after a few moments of silence, his voice grim.

“Sir, we can’t do that unless you’re very sure—”

“I’ll pay you more for this doll. Remove his mask. Right now.”

The trader guy complies silently, not daring to argue with Chanyeol. He removes the mask from the male doll’s face as carefully as he can, making sure not to leave any marks that would ruin the doll’s pretty face.

Chanyeol waits expectantly.

_Please, not him._

Once the mask is taken off, Chanyeol swears the world immediately stops spinning around him.

The male doll is Byun Baekhyun.

His long-lost childhood friend. His crush. _His Baekhyun._

Chanyeol would recognize those eyes everywhere he goes in any lifetime.

“W-What is his name?” Chanyeol’s voice cracks, but he manages to cover it with his coughs.

The man’s eyes go wide at the unexpected question. “Their identity is to be kept a secret unless you—”

“I said what is his name?!” Chanyeol snaps, causing the man to flinch in surprise.

“B-Baekhyun, Sir,” the man stutters, cowering in fear once he sees Chanyeol’s reddened face.

So, he was right. It really _is_ Baekhyun.

Before him, Baekhyun looks at him in confusion, eyes red and puffy from crying. He’s struggling to speak, but Chanyeol can’t let him. For now.

His heart crushes, broken beyond repair. How did Baekhyun even get here? Just what happened to him all these years? How did he get kidnapped by these traders?

Chanyeol lets out a long sigh. Now he has only one new job to do.

Save his Baekhyun.

No matter what happens.


End file.
